Improvement in cartridges



W. W. HUBBELL Cartridge.

No.f212,313. Paiem-ed Feb. 18,1879.

UNITED STIITEs WILLIAM w.

EUBBELL, `on WASHINGTON, DISTRICT or COLUMBIA.

IMPROVEMENT IN clm'rmoelas.

Specification forming part of Letters Patent No. 212,313., datedFebruary 1S, 1879; application filed December 2S, 1878.

To all whom t may concern:

Be it known that I, WILLIAM WHEELER HUBBELL, of Washington, in thecounty of Washington and District of Columbia, have invented au ImprovedMetallic Cartridge; and I do hereby declare that the following is a'full, clear, and exact description thereof.

My invention relates tothe peculiar construction and combination of acircular me -tallic perforated plate with the circular fulmi'nate-carrier and solid fire-tight metallic case and head in one pie-ce,as will be hereinafter more fully set forth and described.

In the accompanyin g drawings, Figure 1 is a longitudinal section of myimproved'metallic cartridge, Fig. 2 is a plan view of the retaining diskor anvil. Fig. 3 is a diametric sec- -'tion of the ilminatecarrier,plate, and anvil;

and Fig. 4. is aplan view of the fulminatecarrier.A

A is a cylindrical metallic cartridge case or shell, with solid rearend, L, in one piece there'- with, and both retight, open only at thefront end, B, to be primed and loaded at this front opening'.

D is a circular disk of paper or any suitable substance, perforatedthrough rthe center for the reception of the fulminate in thisperforation or chamber O. i This paper disk when charged with fulmi-.nate 1s placed against the bottom L of the metallic case A. E is acircular metallic ,plate closely fitting inside of the case A, down uponthe paper disk D, where it is held in place by contracting or pinchingin the case A, which forces the plate E down upon the disk or base 'ofthe case and makes a tight joint around the edge of the plate.

The plate E is provided with peri'orations k k upon either side of acentral line drawn through its axis, as shown at h lz., Figs. 2 and 3,sufficient space being left between these perforations to form the barz', of a breadth nearly equal to the diameter of the perforation C,immediately over which it rests.

F is the space in the cartridge, which is loaded as usual with a chargeof powder and bullet of any desired weight and shape. Thefulminate-,chamber C may be recessed or 'receive the central blow offormed in the metal of the circular plate E, with the central bart' andtwo side perforations kk over it, dispensing with the paper. The centralanvil affords a rm resistance to a central striker acting on the centerof the base L, and compressing the fulminate toig nite it withcertainty. The two side vents diffuse the lire into the base of thecharge of powder, and its instant explosion presses back the circularanvil-plate, and prevents it from l being blown out in the barrel, thecharge being consumed from the base forward without re'- action of theiire or waste of the powder.

The distinguishing feature of my invention is the organized constructionto carry into com.- plete effect the expressed principles of operationof thefulininate of mercury or detonating powder and thepowder-charge.In this organization the fulminate, although the superior explosiveforce, is contracted into a diminished or small central chamber andfills it. The flange and head of the metallic case are solid, all in onepiece. This chamber at its sides or outer extreme edges communicatesdirectly and exclusively with the powdercharge, so that the explosiveforce of the ful# minato is not allowed to expand under a larger area ofthe anvil-plate .and blow it out, but

is compelled to diffuse its explosive force,

not in-'a central stream, but in a diused body into the base of thepowder-charge. To effect this the central anvil-piece has no centralaperture, is as wide as the fulminate-tilled chamber, and theperforations are at the exi treme outer sides of this fulminate for twopurposes. One is to diffuse the tire from this center most thoroughly.rlhe other is to have an unperforated anvil over and against thet'ulminate, as it rests solid .in its chamber, to

a striker and obtain complete resistance by the anvil-bar, and

yet have free escapement for the explosive force at once from beneaththe an"vil-platewithout any chamber or space for-.it to expand intounder the plate. This assures a certain ignition, security of theanvil-plate to keep its position, and a complete combustion of thepowder-charge, from the base forward, as it impels the bullet out of thegun.

Having obus described 'my invention, whatA central eharnber of fulminatein the base of I claim as new, and desire to` secure by Lets-v thecartridge, substantially as described,

ters Patent, is In testimony that I claim the foregoing as In the bottomof asolid metallic-flange can my own, I affix my signature in presenceof tridge ease or shell, the eonibiimtion of a eirtwo witnesses.

onlin base ineiosing n central chmnberof ful- WM. "WHEELER HUBBELL.min-ate and an anvil over the fulminzite pro- Witnesses: vided With twoor more openings, whose inner ALBIN M. LONG,

edges nearly coincide with the edges of the l NVM. Gr. HENDERSON.

